A cluttered home saps our energy and focus. I discovered this firsthand when trying to work from home surrounded by excess stuff. Through trial and error, I've found reliable methods for clearing space efficiently. Here's my practical take on cracking the code of decluttering and why it’s my ticket to a happier, calmer life.
In this article
Why Clutter Makes Us Feel Bad
A 2009 UCLA study found that women who describe their homes as cluttered show higher levels of cortisol - the stress hormone - throughout the day. This matches my own experience: a messy space makes everything feel more challenging, from getting ready in the morning to focusing on work.
Physical clutter creates:
- Visual noise that diverts attention
- Extra time spent searching for items
- Increased cleaning and maintenance
- Reduced focus and productivity
- Higher stress levels
Piles of stuff here and there in every room may seem harmless, but they can crank up stress faster than a broken elevator. The more you see your space buried under a heap of chaos, the more stressed you get. If that sounds familiar, read on!
Goodpick Large Wicker Basket for Blankets, Baby Toy Storage Basket, 85L
Oversized Capacity. The wicker storage basket has a generous capacity of 83 liters, which provides ample space for storing a variety of items
Amazon product
Deco 79 Seagrass Storage Basket, Large Woven Basket, 20" x 18" x 19", Brown
CONTEMPORARY BLANKET BASKET FOR ORGANIZING: Embrace artistic expression with a decorative basket style that highlights bold designs with sleek lines, neutral elements, and a minimalist aesthetic
Benefits of Decluttering
Minimalism might not be everyone's cup of tea, least of all because many minimalist gurus out there seem rather dogmatic in what they preach. Rigid rules, do this, do that.
Personally, I take minimalism as a North Star of sorts. I'm always open to scaling things back a bit more, paring things down. But I like my stuff and have absolutely no aspiration to reduce my handbag collection or limit myself to two pairs of shoes. That's just not me. I'm always more in search of finding a sweet spot in between maximalism and minimalism.
Stuff that I love, use, and which earns its keep gets to stay. I don't at all feel bad about keeping tchotchkes I'm sentimental about. Hanging onto things that are pretty or practical makes my world (and brain) a nicer place to be.
Still though, decluttering one room at a time and returning to it again and again to prune some more has helped me make my place calmer. The result is that I feel calmer, too.
How to Declutter Effectively? Pick Your Gameplan and Just Start
Ok, so where does one start decluttering, how do you know where to start, and how do you declutter effectively?
And what if your living space is such a mess right now that you totally feel overwhelmed just reading this?
There are many methods, and everyone is different. The good news is that there's no wrong way to do any of this. What I suggest is glossing over the below approaches and zoning in on one or two that appeal to you. See how it goes. If you're not getting the results you want, try a different approach.
Success usually comes from slow and steady consistency rather than trying to transform everything overnight. Here are a few things I've found that work:
My Purged Home Workbook: Checklists & Guides to Declutter each Room of Your Home in 10 Minutes a Day
The Sentimental Person's Guide to Decluttering
Amazon product
Decluttering Mastery: 3 Books in 1 - A Step-By-Step Decluttering Workbook, Complete Guide to Declutter and Organize Your Home, and How to Transform Your Life
Amazon product
NEAT Cleaning Schedules and Checklists: 12 Months of Daily, Weekly and Monthly Cleaning Schedules | A Perfect Checklist Planner and Household Chore ... Stress and Finally Get Rid of the Mess)
Beautifully Organized: A Guide to Function and Style in Your Home
The Declutter Challenge: A Guided Journal for Getting your Home Organized in 30 Quick Steps (Guided Journal for Cleaning & Decorating, for Fans of Cluttered Mess) (Clutterbug)
Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff
Start With Visible Spaces
Begin with areas you see and use daily. It can be as simple as sorting out the shoe rack by the front door.
When I first got the gist of how to declutter effectively, I started with my entryway. It was a manageable bit of space and stuff, and thus a small win that motivated me to continue.
Visible improvements in frequently used spaces help maintain momentum.
You don't have to do an entire room or declutter your entire home in one go. You can work through each room in your home at whatever pace suits you and split up your decluttering project into even smaller increments.
Instead of decluttering the entire bathroom, for example, you could sort and organise your makeup drawer on one day, and tackle the linens or under the sink on another.
Work With Four Categories
When you set out to declutter your home, you're generally going to put everything into one of four categories of stuff which you:
- Use regularly (and thus you'll keep accessible)
- Use occasionally (and can be stored elsewhere)
- No longer use but is valuable (to re-sell, gift, or donate)
- No longer needed (to be discarded)
I've found that working with these simple four categories prevents the common mistake of shuffling an item in between rooms without having had made any real decision as to whether it needs to go or not.
Let's now turn to a couple of strategic approaches in the following section.
Room by Room Decluttering Tips
Different spaces need different approaches and because everyone's home is going to be slightly different in terms of inventory, there's no one-size fits all here. Below are a three examples of how you could proceed in some typical key areas.
Sponge Holder for Kitchen Sink, Sink Organizer with Brush Holder
【ROTATABLE SPOUT】This kitchen sink caddy comes with a rotatable spout that swivels in three directions so that the water in the sponge can be directed to the sink. There won't be any water left on the countertop, you don't need to pull out the drip tray to clean it often, saving your cleaning time.
Under Sink Organizer, L-Shaped Pull Out Cabinet Organizer, Kitchen
【L-SHAPED DESIGN FITS AROUND PIPES AND GARBAGE DISPOSALS】 The narrow top basket mounts left or right to clear your plumbing. The wide lower tier reclaims full vertical space under the sink, turning a blocked corner into organized, easy-to-use cabinet storage
Kitchen: Clear Counters First
My number one decluttering tip is to start with visible surfaces. Getting them cleared off and tidied up instantly elevates your space. In the kitchen, this equates to your countertops.
- Remove items that don't belong in the kitchen
- Group similar items together
- Try to only keep daily-use items out on the counter
- Store occasional-use appliances out of sight
I reduced my counter clutter by at least 70% by being honest about which tools I actually use daily versus occasionally. I have my coffee machine, electric kettle, and Aarke carbonator out, because I use all three multiple times a day.
Home Office: Focus on Paper Management
Whether you work from home in a dedicated office, the corner of your room, or have a little fold-out secretary where you keep up with bills, you probably have your share of paper clutter to deal with. Most of us do.
Create three initial sorting categories:
- Action required (bills, forms, correspondence)
- Reference materials (manuals, important documents)
- Recycle/shred (junk mail, outdated papers)
I scan important documents and maintain a simple digital filing system. This eliminated a literal mountain of paperwork that was hogging up a ton of room on my shelving unit!
Pullout: Deep dive: Check out my article on how to go paperless and what you need to digitise your paper archives
Bedroom: Tackle Clothing Systematically
Clothing is my personal weak spot. (It's actually one of the main reasons I started Tidymalism in the first place!) If you have any telltale signs of too many clothes like I did, then it's probably time to declutter your closet.
Here again, you don't have to do it all in one day. You could do all your skirts one day, your shoes on another, socks and undies later, etc.
PP Plastic Closet Organizers and Storage, 16" D x 13" W x 7" H
【Reinforced Stackable Closet Storage】Create more usable vertical space with these closet organizers and storage bins. Each bin measures approximately 16"D x 13"W x 7"H.
Budding Joy 95L Under Bed Storage Containers, 4 Pack Closet Organizers Grey
non-woven fabric + pvc
90L Large Storage Bags, 6 Pack Clothes Storage Bins Closet Organizers
Large Capacity: Each storage bag measures 23 x 16 x 13 inch (60 x 42 x 36 cm) with a spacious 90L capacity, making it ideal for dorm storage and college dorm essentials. It provides plenty of room for bed sheets, comforters, blankets, pillows, toys, jackets, clothes, and other items, helping keep your dorm room neat and organized
6 Tier Hanging Closet Organizer with 2 Sturdy Hooks, Grey
HANGING CLOSET ORGANIZER - Improve your closet organization with open shelving that provides great accessibility and visibility, organizer maximizes utilization of vertical space, makes it perfect for small closets.
Vtopmart 4 Pack Large Stackable Storage Drawers, Clear
Stackable Storage Bins: The top of the drawer has groove design ensures stacking. Use these stackable drawers to save space, which is also keep organized
WLIVE Dresser for Bedroom, Wide Dresser with 5 Fabric Drawers, Dark Grey
MULTIFUNCTION DRESSER: Match perfectly with other WLIVE storage towers; This chest of drawers is great for bedroom, closet, living room, hallway, dorm and office.
SpaceAid 2 Pack Hanging Closet Organizer and Storage with Dividers, 24 Compartments Hanging Shoe Shelves for Closet, Wardrobe, RV, Garment Rack - Black
Dividers: With its clever design, our organizer provides 12 cubby spaces for various items. It simplifies the organization process while taking up minimal space.
Use these steps:
- Take everything out of the section or drawer you want to work on
- Try on any questionable items (do they fit? do you feel good about yourself in them?)
- Start donate/sell piles for what you want to let go
- Return to the closet only what you actually wear
One popular trick to track what you're really wearing regularly is to turn hangers backward at the start of each season. When you've worn something and put it back, hang it the right way around. Anything still backward at season's end is what you didn't wear once. Might be time to get rid of it!
Other Strategies for Effective Decluttering
Decluttering your home isn't a one-off job, it's an ongoing process. There are a variety of ways you can stay on top of the daily mess though.
Spotlight Decluttering
Aside from my regular cleaning schedule, I usually pick one messy spot or clutter magnet each week and dive in. No more "ugh," just focusing on making one area organised at a time.
Regular Paper Purging
Every week, I grab the old magazines, newspapers, and any junk mail that's still about, and toss it all into the paper recycling.
Digital Detox
My digital world gets messy too, as I run an online consultancy in my day-to-day. I try to sort files, clear out emails, and I'm pretty ruthless about unsubscribing or blocking junk newsletters.
Less stress, more digital zen.
Pantry Purge
The fridge and pantry need some love too. If you have a tiny kitchen like I do, it's a good idea to keep things simple. I wipe out the fridge about once every fortnight (I live alone) and do a quarterly check of staples and spices where I'll get rid of any expired stuff.
Popular Decluttering Methods: Take the Quiz to Find Your Best Approach
There's a whole tangled web of even more specific decluttering techniques out there, and going through them all here would turn this post into an ebook . Each one has its own spin, catering to different vibes and lifestyles. I'm personally a fan of Swedish death cleaning, but Marie Kondo has also definitely influenced me.
The KonMari method is all about sorting by category—not rooms—so it might not work for a lot of people. Her magic rule can, however, be applied in many cases: Keep only the bits and bobs that "spark joy" and chuck the rest.
There are other methods out there, too, like Core 4. If you're interested in working with a concrete framework, but aren't sure which one is best for your situation, take this short quiz to find out! ⤵
Checklist for Maintaining Progress
Learning how to declutter effectively is half the battle. These habits help with the other half: maintaining clutter-free space in your home.
Daily Practices
- Process mail immediately
- Put away things when you're done using them
- Do quick evening resets of main areas
- Clean as you go while cooking
Weekly Routines
- File or scan important papers
- Pantry/fridge checks
- Remove anything that doesn't have a home
Monthly Check-ins
- Evaluate storage systems
- Address any problem areas
- Donate accumulated items
- Adjust your tactic as needed
Set Realistic Standards
- Aim for functional, not perfect
- Adjust systems that aren't working
- Be realistic about maintenance time
- Focus on progress, not perfection
Donation Drive
If you have a larger household, you might also want to collect your 'not needed' pile of stuff in a box to take to the donation drop-point. More space for yourself, and a bit of joy for someone else—everyone wins. It's a neat way to make room and pay it forward.
Moving Forward
A clutter-free home isn't about striving for Insta-worthy perfection. A functional space that supports your daily life is the goal.
Start with small wins, be consistent with maintenance, and remember that every item removed creates a bit more breathing room.
The most important thing I've learned about how to declutter effectively is this: success comes from developing sustainable habits rather than attempting massive one-time purges.
Remember, the goal isn't to create a minimalist showcase; it's to make your home work better for you. So focus on a decluttering process that actually improves your daily life rather than trying to match someone else's ideal of organisation.
